By Justina Auta
The Federal Government of Nigeria has on Tuesday, renewed calls for stronger gender diversity and expanded leadership opportunities for women in Nigerian media.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, made the call at a one-day capacity building training for female journalists in Abuja.
The exercise, themed: “Workplace Diversification: Advancing Female Journalists’ Role in the Newsroom”, was organised by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
Walson-Jack, represented by the Director, Learning and Development, Elisha Benjamin, said that equitable representation is critical to strengthening the nation’s media landscape.
She noted that women are central to national development but continue to face limited visibility and underrepresentation in newsroom leadership and editorial decision-making.
According to her, the theme aligns with federal reforms under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), which prioritises fair representation.
She noted that while the civil service has recorded improvements in women’s participation at strategic levels, the media industry still lags in achieving a gender-balanced leadership.
“Workplace diversification is not charity or tokenism; it is a strategic necessity.
“When women sit at the table, institutions make better decisions, and the national narrative becomes richer and more complete,” she said.
She noted that gaps in women’s representation inevitably affects storytelling, weaken empathy in reporting, and limit the breadth of public discourse.
Besides, Walson-Jack outlined four priority areas for strengthening women’s roles in journalism such as:
“Institutional commitment to equitable recruitment and promotion, continuous capacity development, structured mentorship for younger journalists, and gender-sensitive reporting that dismantles stereotypes”
The HoCSF urged female journalists to “own their voice,” uphold professionalism, and mentor younger colleagues while using media platforms to promote dignity, unity, and public trust.
On her part, NAWOJ National Chairperson, Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to advancing gender inclusion, describing diversification as being essential for credible journalism.
“At NAWOJ, we are committed to breaking down these barriers and advocating for equitable opportunities.
” This training equips participants with the confidence and tools needed to take their rightful place at editorial tables,” she said.
According to her, gender-diverse newsrooms enrich public storytelling, deepens accountability, and ensure that national narratives reflects social realities.
Earlier, NAWOJ FCT Chairperson, Mrs Bassey Ita-Ikpang, expressed optimism that the workshop will strengthen women’s skills in digital journalism.
She also identified that the workshop will help improve women’s leadership capacity and help them overcome structural challenges such as visibility gaps, work-life pressures, and limited career advancement.
She commended past leadership of the association for building a strong foundation and encouraged participants to make maximum use of the training sessions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop featured newsroom executives, digital experts, senior editors, and media strategists.
NAN reports that about 100 journalists participated in the event, and provided a wide platform for conversations on digital transformation in the media, improved representation of women in decision-making positions among others. (NAN)
